Like many college students, I was living on a tight budget and needed to prioritize my needs versus wants. I recall now with a smile how my 'must haves' such as new clothes and club money seemed so important to me. Sounds shallow, but when I was 18, I felt strongly that a decent standard of living meant having cash to party. Thankfully, that was a phase that came and went quickly. I managed to survive it without getting into trouble or too many embarassing moments.
During this time, I lived off campus for a semester with a friend and her younger brothers. They rented a one bedroom apartment about 5 miles from campus. I paid a small amount in rent and in return, shared the master bedroom with her while the brothers shared the livingroom. They were freshman in highschool at the time and we were immature 18 year old's with an apartment, no supervision and young teenage boys who seemed to appreciate their freedom. I think they also liked all the company we constantly had over...though in retrospect, our guests were probably not the best influences.
Anyway, one stay in night (aka we had no money), our friend Annie (also a frequent guest) made us dinner. It was the dead of winter and trudged to the supermarket for ingredients. She made the first home made meal we had in weeks and it was delicious. I remember vividly how good it was and how in awe I was of her cooking. Annie was a chef all along and I never even knew it! It was such a simple meal to make and in her mind no big deal, but it brought us all together and gave me one of my most fond memories of that time in my life.
I still make it and though I've tweaked it a bit over time, it is still one of my favorite 'easy to make winter dinners' and I still always think of her when I do. Thanks Annie!
You can use any kind of chicken. The Korean Grocery store has Dak Tori cut chicken which is basically chicken legs cut across, but you can use anything. I like to use whole legs if I can't find this cut.
I parboil my chicken for a few minutes, but you don't have to. Throw in the chicken, onion, potato and carrots and fill with just enough water to cover.
Two heaping tablespoons of Gochu Jang (mild), 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce. So easy to remember! I taste near the end and tweak if necessary. Once it reaches a boil, I lower the tempurature and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes.
Voila! Serve with rice and whatever ban chan.